Sustainably Sourced Florals and the Amazing Cedar and Lime Co. Part 2| FRIDAY CHATTER

Today is going to be GOOD, y’all! I am heading to the beach to spend some time with family, so Friday Chatter is coming at you TWO days early! This past Friday, you met the crazy talented Haley of Cedar and Lime Co., and today, you get to hear her take on things in the floral industry! If you missed part one, read it HERE!

A little refresher: Haley owns Cedar and Lime Co. She is an amazing field to vase florist that incorporates both beautiful blooms and sustainability into her business and arrangements! Today’s post is all about Haley’s experience in the wedding industry. We’re talking industry trends, sustainability, and floral selection! I can’t wait for you to learn from this gal!

Haley is currently booking weddings for couples in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. She is also willing to travel!! Can we please make “destination florist” a thing?! Another huge THANK YOU to Haley for pouring so much love into these two posts! Girlfriend is a ROCKSTAR!

To follow along with Haley’s amazing work find her online here: Website | Facebook | Instagram

Can you tell me a bit about what field to vase really is?

Field to vase flowers are essentially the flower equivalent of farm to table food. They’re flowers that are grown nearby, straight from the field to a vase!

What does the field to vase movement mean in the wedding industry?

Field to vase is becoming more and more popular, with couples’ now seeking us out specifically because of our commitment to the movement. People are more conscious than ever of where their products are coming made, from food to clothes and now flowers. It means a shift in focus from exotic, imported blooms to seasonal, locally grown blooms, some of which are still quite exotic looking! The movement also extends to florists who are committed to using American Grown Flowers, so much so that, as of 2017, Congress has designated July as American Grown Flower month. More and more florists are getting involved and encouraging their couples’ to use American grown and locally grown product.

When it comes to choosing the florals that are in a bouquet, what is the first thing that you think couples should consider?

As a field-to-vase florist, I always encourage couples to focus first on color. Using all local flowers does have its limitations, so focusing on color first gives me as the designer more freedom to use what is in season. We then look to things like color balance, bloom to greens ratios, adding depth and texture, etc. If a bride or groom has a specific type of flower that they’ve always envisioned for their wedding day, but isn’t in season locally, we then look to American Grown Flowers so that we can still give them the flowers they’ve been dreaming about.

For couples’ considering field to vase florals for their wedding, what is the top thing that they should keep in mind?

Trust your designer (and don’t trust the Internet!). There are a lot of infographics out there titled things like “Red Flowers in Season in the Fall” that couples will reference when talking about seasonal flowers. The problem with those is that whoever wrote the list may be living in California or Australia or Turkey and what is in season for them in the fall is very different than what is in season in Virginia. So, trust that your designer wants to gives you the best product available while still maintaining your vision for the flowers. This goes back to focusing on color more than flower type. Field to vase flowers tend to work well for couples who don’t have strong preferences on exact flower types.

You know flowers & you know the wedding industry! What are some trends or overused flowers that you’ve seen throughout the time in the industry that you would like to see go?

I always feel weird weighing in on this. I think that couples should do what they want to do, and if its “overdone” or “so last season,” then who cares? As long as the wedding reflects the couple and their personalities, I think they should do whatever they want, trends be damned! I say plan the wedding you want to have and don’t worry too much about what’s trendy or not.

Editor’s note: * Me over in the corner: YAS GIRL PREACH!! *

What are some of your favorite flowers that you wish couples would incorporate into their wedding design even more?

Carnations and zinnias! Carnations have gotten a bad rap as being the stuff grocery store boutonnieres are made of. American flower farmers are starting to grow some heirloom varieties now that are simply gorgeous though. They are so frilly and delicate and they smell amazing. A true heirloom carnation smells like cloves and its intoxicating. Zinnias have a very wildflower feel to them and I feel like some couples shy away from them in fear of their wedding taking on a rustic vibe. I love the way they look though and their colors are so wonderfully vibrant. When done right, zinnias add the perfect touch of color.